Harold Edwin Loechel was born on 3 May 1909 to parents Franz Heindrick (known as Frank Henry) Loechel (1874-1933) and Sophie Hilda nee Pumpa (1877-1934). He had three older sisters, Ella (1905), Nora (1906) and Olga (1907).
Harold grew up at Eden Valley on the family farm called “Avonlea” which is opposite the Murray Recreation Park at Eden Valley. He attended school at the Eden Valley Primary School then completed his education at Scotch College in Adelaide. He returned home to work on the farm with his parents where they had a dairy, sheep and a pear orchard.
Harold was very good at sport and played football, tennis, cricket and golf. He was very involved in the running of all these various sports clubs, being secretary, treasurer of the Eden Valley Football Club and a club delegate of the Murray Ranges Football Association. Harold played tennis for the Murray Ranges Tennis Association and even played in the Country Carnival at Memorial Drive.
Harold was involved in the Murray Recreation Park where he was secretary for many years. He was also secretary of the Eden Valley Institute for nearly 50 years.
Harold married Thelma Marian McCallum on the 2 December 1937 in the South Rhine Presbyterian Church. Thelma, born 11 August 1911 the only child of Matthew and Lucy McCallum of Springton. Harold and Thelma did not have any children.
Thelma was a very good tennis player and also played golf as her father had a golf links on his farm. Thelma, like her husband also played tennis in the Country Carnival at Memorial Drive. Thelma was an inaugural and ongoing active member of the Eden Valley Women’s Auxiliary and being president for a period of time and also secretary of the Eden Valley Branch of Red Cross for 25 years.
Harold and Thelma were very active members of the South Rhine Presbyterian Church, the church where the McCallum’s worshipped.
Both Harold and Thelma were keen gardeners, regularly exhibiting gladiolus and dahlia in local shows.
Harold also loved his fishing on the Murray River. He regularly went to Geoff Lillecrapp’s shack called “Dunwurk’n” at Swan Reach with Howard Woolford and “Tubby” Gordon Brookes from 1950’s to the 1970’s, and also spending many days there fishing with Thelma too. He was also a very good artist painting numerous paintings and giving away to friends and institutions.
They retired to the Talunga Senior Citizens Units in Mount Pleasant in 1980. Thelma died on 11 July 1997, one month short of her 86th birthday and Harold died on 24 October 1998 aged 89 years. Both are buried in the South Rhine Cemetery.
